Athletes’ Village move ‘life changing’ for Glasgow family

The lives of a Glasgow family have been transformed with a move to the former 2014 Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village, in Dalmarnock.

The village was home to around 7,000 competitors and officials during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, but is now becoming home to hundreds of families. The first residents began moving in to the award-winning athlete’s village after a retrofit began shortly after the Games.

One of the village properties has become home to John and Kimberley Stoddart and their three children aged 3, 4 and 6. Their eldest son, John Junior, has complex health needs and is wheelchair bound meaning their previous home, an upper maisonette property in the East end of Glasgow, was extremely unpractical and the family felt constrained in their own home.

However, the Stoddart’s lives have been completely transformed since moving into their West of Scotland Housing Association (WHSA), three bedroom, wheelchair adapted property, in the Athlete’s Village. John Junior now has a downstairs bedroom and bathing facilities.

Kimberley said “This move has been life changing for our family, we’re delighted. We were looking forward to the move but it has exceeded our hopes. All three children have settled into their new home with ease over the last week and are enjoying the freedom of the garden. We can’t quite believe we actually live here.”

The Stoddart’s are the first of 102 West of Scotland Housing Association customers to move into the Athletes’ Village, now a desirable residential community with 300 private homes, 400 homes for social rent and a new 120 bed care home for the elderly.

Carron Garmory, chief executive, WSHA said: “It’s exciting to see the first families begin to move into the Athletes’ Village. We’re thrilled that the new sustainable homes will have a continuous, positive impact on families. This year is the 50th anniversary of West of Scotland Housing Association and what better way to mark the milestone than being part of such a lasting legacy.”

The Athletes’ Village has won 20 awards so far, including Best Sustainable Development at the Scottish Business Awards, winner in the Large Scale housing Development category at the Scottish Saltire Design Awards, and the Regeneration winner at the Scottish Design Awards.

Glasgow City Council will build a primary school and nursery school on two sites within and beside the Athletes’ Village whilst the removal of temporary facilities around the Village after the Games has released additional land with the potential for further residential development.

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